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Genesis 22:1-5: Gospel resonance.

“Some time later God tested Abraham. He said to him, ‘Abraham!’ ‘Here I am,’ he replied. ² Then God said, ‘Take your son, your only son, whom you love – Isaac – and go to the region of Moriah. Sacrifice him there as a burnt offering on a mountain that I will show you.’ ³ Early the next morning Abraham got up and loaded his donkey. He took with him two of his servants and his son Isaac. When he had cut enough wood for the burnt offering, he set out for the place God had told him about. ⁴ On the third day Abraham looked up and saw the place in the distance. ⁵ He said to his servants, ‘Stay here with the donkey while I and the boy go over there. We will worship and then we will come back to you.’” NIV UK

There are words and phrases here which resonate for those familiar with the New Testament, and who love the gospel well. I’m thinking of expressions such as ‘’only son…love…Sacrifice…third day.’’ We can tell the story of Jesus from these few words.  When God called to Abraham, he showed exemplary obedience. He was available: ‘’Here I am.’’ He acted promptly. How could he do this when he, and Sarah, had waited so long to have this boy? The promises of God were bound up with him. How could he lay Isaac, and all he represented, on the altar of sacrifice? The answer is surely found in verse 5. Abraham passed the ‘test.’ He believed that he and Isaac would return.

The book of Hebrews says it well:

‘’By faith, Abraham, when God tested him, offered Isaac as a sacrifice. He who had received the promises was about to sacrifice his one and only son, even though God had said to him, ‘’It is through Isaac that your offspring will be reckoned.’’ Abraham reasoned that God could raise the dead, and figuratively speaking, he did receive Isaac back from death’’ (Hebrews 11:17-19).

PRAYER: I pray, Lord, for a faith that trusts you, even when it cannot understand.

Genesis 22:1-2: ‘Here is love’

“Some time later God tested Abraham. He said to him, ‘Abraham!’ ‘Here I am,’ he replied.² Then God said, ‘Take your son, your only son, whom you love – Isaac – and go to the region of Moriah. Sacrifice him there as a burnt offering on a mountain that I will show you.’” NIV UK

I read somewhere that this is the first use of the word ‘’love’’ in the Bible. It’s interesting that it comes in the context of a father being willing to sacrifice his son. If you are familiar with the Bible story as a whole, your mind will almost inevitably turn to what is, perhaps, the most famous statement in God’s Book:

‘’For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life’’ (John 3:16).

There you have the gospel in miniature; in a nutshell.

In the story of Abraham, as we will see, he did not have to sacrifice his son. His faith was being tested, but his boy, Isaac, did not die. But, centuries later, on this very spot it is believed, God’s Son, Jesus, gave His life for the sins of the world.

What can we say? ‘Here is love vast as the ocean, loving-kindness as the flood…’

PRAYER: Thank you Lord for your immeasurable love for the world; your love for me.

Genesis 21:22-34: The anointing.

^“22 At that time Abimelek and Phicol the commander of his forces said to Abraham, ‘God is with you in everything you do. ²³ Now swear to me here before God that you will not deal falsely with me or my children or my descendants. Show to me and the country where you now reside as a foreigner the same kindness that I have shown to you.’ ²⁴ Abraham said, ‘I swear it.’ ²⁵ Then Abraham complained to Abimelek about a well of water that Abimelek’s servants had seized. ²⁶ But Abimelek said, ‘I don’t know who has done this. You did not tell me, and I heard about it only today.’ ²⁷ So Abraham brought sheep and cattle and gave them to Abimelek, and the two men made a treaty. ²⁸ Abraham set apart seven ewe lambs from the flock, ²⁹ and Abimelek asked Abraham, ‘What is the meaning of these seven ewe lambs you have set apart by themselves?’ ³⁰ He replied, ‘Accept these seven lambs from my hand as a witness that I dug this well.’³¹ So that place was called Beersheba, because the two men swore an oath there.³² After the treaty had been made at Beersheba, Abimelek and Phicol the commander of his forces returned to the land of the Philistines. ³³ Abraham planted a tamarisk tree in Beersheba, and there he called on the name of the Lord, the Eternal God. ³⁴ And Abraham stayed in the land of the Philistines for a long time.” NIV UK

The ‘anointing’ is something people can recognise, even if they can’t explain what it is. They can sense it; feel it. It can even cause them to fear. But Abimelech was able to articulate it. He recognised that God was with Abraham (22). It’s not surprising that Abimelech was able to say this. In the first place, God had spoken to him in a dream about Abraham (20:3). Secondly, he had experienced healing in his family through Abraham’s prayer (20:17, 18; see 20:7).

We have to note that carrying an anointing is not necessarily a sign of special goodness or godliness. As we have seen, in the episode with Abimelech, Abraham had not acted honestly or honourably. He was not a good witness. In a way, it is sad that Abimelech had to say to him: ‘’Now swear to me here before God that you will not deal falsely with me or my children or my descendants’’ (23a). That contains an echo of Abraham’s recent deceit. It can take a long time to build trust, but it can be broken in a moment. Once lost, it be difficult to restore it – but not impossible.

We should not follow Abraham’s example of dishonesty, but it is good to know that you don’t have to be perfect know God’s presence with you.

Notice that Abraham was still living in the land as an ‘’alien’’ (23). He never did own any part of the promised land except this well at Beersheba, and, later, a burial plot for Sarah.

Genesis 21:14-21: An eye-opening experience.

^“14 Early the next morning Abraham took some food and a skin of water and gave them to Hagar. He set them on her shoulders and then sent her off with the boy. She went on her way and wandered in the Desert of Beersheba. ¹⁵ When the water in the skin was gone, she put the boy under one of the bushes. ¹⁶ Then she went off and sat down about a bow-shot away, for she thought, ‘I cannot watch the boy die.’ And as she sat there, she^[a] began to sob. ¹⁷ God heard the boy crying, and the angel of God called to Hagar from heaven and said to her, ‘What is the matter, Hagar? Do not be afraid; God has heard the boy crying as he lies there. ¹⁸ Lift the boy up and take him by the hand, for I will make him into a great nation.’ ¹⁹ Then God opened her eyes and she saw a well of water. So she went and filled the skin with water and gave the boy a drink. ²⁰ God was with the boy as he grew up. He lived in the desert and became an archer. ²¹ While he was living in the Desert of Paran, his mother got a wife for him from Egypt.”

‘What a picture of our loving heavenly Father, who cares even for those who have been ‘’expelled.’’ God hears every person who cries out to Him in distress. Furthermore, being excluded from God’s covenant does not mean being excluded from God’s general mercies toward all mankind (Matthew 5:44-45). Indeed, God promised once more that Ishmael would be made into a great nation (verse 18).’ Tom Hale: ‘The Applied Old Testament Commentary,’ p.163.

It is comforting to know that God sees our tears, hears our cries and knows our circumstances. When all seems lost, the solution may well be close at hand (19). We just fail to see it. We need our eyes opening. But it doesn’t have to be a serious problem for us to be stumped by it. Whether the conundrums we face are big or small, God has the answer. May He give us His vision. You may be so close to an answer; in the vicinity of a breakthrough, but all you can feel is the scorching heat of the desert.

‘Was the well not there before? Did God suddenly and miraculously create the well? No, we must assume the well had been there all along. All that was needed was for Hagar’s eyes to be opened…There are amazing resources in our lives – both physical and spiritual – that are available to us if we will only turn to God and let Him open our eyes. Without the illuminating touch of God’s Spirit, we will miss many of His greatest blessings (see Luke 24:30-31).’ Tom Hale.

PRAYER: Lord God, I take great encouragement from this inspired story in your infallible Word. I bring to you my perplexity regarding…(you fill in the blank). Please open my eyes to see your solution.

Genesis 21:8-13: Reaping what you sow.

^“8 The child grew and was weaned, and on the day Isaac was weaned Abraham held a great feast. ⁹ But Sarah saw that the son whom Hagar the Egyptian had borne to Abraham was mocking, ¹⁰ and she said to Abraham, ‘Get rid of that slave woman and her son, for that woman’s son will never share in the inheritance with my son Isaac.’  ¹¹ The matter distressed Abraham greatly because it concerned his son. ¹² But God said to him, ‘Do not be so distressed about the boy and your slave woman. Listen to whatever Sarah tells you, because it is through Isaac that your offspring will be reckoned. ¹³ I will make the son of the slave into a nation also, because he is your offspring.’” NIV UK

No doubt Sarah saw Ishmael as a dangerous potential rival to her son Isaac. The norm was for the firstborn son to get the inheritance (10).

As I read this passage today, my thoughts go back to the choice Abraham and Sarah made, that Abraham should sleep with Hagar. As I keep saying, at that point they were not trusting but scheming. God had promised a child, but the baby was a long time coming. Instead of combining faith with patience, they took matters into their own hands. They tried to bring about what God intended, their own way. As a believer, you know your sins can be forgiven. But you will not necessarily avoid their consequences. To some extent here, Abraham and Sarah were reaping what they had sown.

You can feel for Abraham. You can empathise with him. He loved both boys. Ishmael had been around for a while, and no doubt there were strong bonds between dad and son. God was merciful, in spite of the wrong steps previously taken (11-13). (By the way, this time it was okay for Abraham to listen to his wife, because it was what God wanted. But on another occasion, doing so had led him astray. It shows that we have to try to keep in step with God, moment by moment. He doesn’t always do things the same way).

We find in the Bible that there are two lines running through the human race: the line of the Spirit (or promise), and Isaac represents this. But there is also the line of the flesh, represented by Ishmael. The point to emphasise here is that those belonging to the line of the Spirit can expect persecution from those of the flesh. Mockery may be the least of it.

‘Be of good cheer.The Lord has prepared laughter for you also, some few miles ahead on life’s journey…But in those hours think kindly of others, and do not forget that some, like Hagar, may be disappointed by what gives you joy!’ F.B. Meyer: ‘Devotional Commentary’, p.22.

PRAYER: Lord, give me the courage I pray, to take persecution for righteousness’ sake. If I am despised, scorned, ridiculed and ostracised for your Name’s sake, help me to count it all joy.

Genesis 21:1-7: True to His Word.

“Now the Lord was gracious to Sarah as he had said, and the Lord did for Sarah what he had promised. ² Sarah became pregnant and bore a son to Abraham in his old age, at the very time God had promised him. ³ Abraham gave the name Isaac  to the son Sarah bore him. ⁴ When his son Isaac was eight days old, Abraham circumcised him, as God commanded him. ⁵ Abraham was a hundred years old when his son Isaac was born to him. ⁶ Sarah said, ‘God has brought me laughter, and everyone who hears about this will laugh with me.’ ⁷ And she added, ‘Who would have said to Abraham that Sarah would nurse children? Yet I have borne him a son in his old age.’” NIV UK

God keeps His Word: Note the words ‘’As he had said…what he had promised…at the very time God had promised…’’ (1, 2). God is consistently as good as His Word. When He fulfils it, this is always a matter of grace (1). The favour of God is never deserved. But here is a good reason to take your Bible in hand and turn it into prayer. Know what God has promised, and take these unfailing ‘cheques’ to the Bank of heaven to cash them in. ‘’Not one of all the LORD’s good promises to Israel failed; everyone was fulfilled’’ (Joshua 21:45).

God is always on time: ‘’Sarah became pregnant and bore a son to Abraham in his old age, at the very time God had promised him’’ (2). We may not always understand God’s timing, but it’s always right; it’s always good. ‘’He has made everything beautiful in its time’’ (Ecclesiastes 3:11). Abraham and Sarah had quite a wait, but God knew what He was doing.

God does miracles: (see vv.5b/7): Who would have thought that a man of 100 years, and his wife at 90 would (could!) have a baby. Well, they couldn’t – biologically speaking. But God does surprising things.’’Is anything too hard for the LORD?’’ (18:14a).

God brings laughter: Isaac means ‘he laughs.’ God brings seasons of laughter into our lives; times of deep joy. It’s not all laughter of course. There are things we can only learn; only become, through a vale of tears. But lets acknowledge, and be thankful for, every ‘Isaac’ the Lord gives.

God’s grace requires obedience (1, 4): God’s Word to Abraham was not only one of promise, but also it entailed command. Abraham obeyed. The grace of God does not mean we are free to live however we want. Rather we are equipped to behave obediently to the One who saved us, and who blesses us beyond all measure.

Genesis 20:14-18: ‘In all things…’

^“14 Then Abimelek brought sheep and cattle and male and female slaves and gave them to Abraham, and he returned Sarah his wife to him. ¹⁵ And Abimelek said, ‘My land is before you; live wherever you like.’ ¹⁶ To Sarah he said, ‘I am giving your brother a thousand shekels of silver. This is to cover the offence against you before all who are with you; you are completely vindicated.’ ¹⁷ Then Abraham prayed to God, and God healed Abimelek, his wife and his female slaves so they could have children again, ¹⁸ for the Lord had kept all the women in Abimelek’s household from conceiving because of Abraham’s wife Sarah.” NIV UK

It’s necessary to read verse 3 in the light of verses 17, 18. The last two verses explain the third verse. It has been pointed out that Abimelech showed great integrity in dealing with Abraham. First of all, he rebuked him to his face. He didn’t go behind his back. But he didn’t make any excuses either, and he sought to put things right, to make restitution (14-16). So Abraham came out of this fiasco better off than before (in one sense). I am reminded of the great truth that ‘’we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose’’ (Romans 8:28). This includes their sins and failures. It doesn’t excuse or justify their misdemeanours, but it does embrace them. We see in the Bible how God even uses the bad things His people get into to further His purposes in them, and in the world at large. Nothing goes to waste. But that doesn’t mean we can ever be blasé about sins. While they can be forgiven, we are not necessarily shielded from their consequences. Always remember that God hates sin and is utterly hostile towards it.  Is there someone you need to get right with today? It may be that, as was the case with Abimelech, you feel you have been wronged by the other party. Don’t let that prevent you doing what you can to sort things out from your side.

PRAYER: Lord, please give me grace to do what I know to be right, even though it may entail self-humbling.

Genesis 20: 8-13: Talking to yourself is no bad idea – but make sure you tell the truth!

^“8 Early the next morning Abimelek summoned all his officials, and when he told them all that had happened, they were very much afraid. ⁹ Then Abimelek called Abraham in and said, ‘What have you done to us? How have I wronged you that you have brought such great guilt upon me and my kingdom? You have done things to me that should never be done.’ ¹⁰ And Abimelek asked Abraham, ‘What was your reason for doing this?’ ¹¹ Abraham replied, ‘I said to myself, “There is surely no fear of God in this place, and they will kill me because of my wife.” ¹² Besides, she really is my sister, the daughter of my father though not of my mother; and she became my wife. ¹³ And when God caused me to wander from my father’s household, I said to her, “This is how you can show your love to me: everywhere we go, say of me, ‘He is my brother.’”’ NIV UK

Abraham was wrong, wasn’t he? (11). Incorrect thinking precedes defective behaving, and we will get it wrong if we tell ourselves untruths. Actually, we are always talking to ourselves, and we often get it wrong. If there was ‘’no fear of God in this place’’ (11), there certainly was now (8)! It is a sad thing when unbelievers appear more righteous than believers; when a Christian needs to be legitimately rebuked by someone outside the faith. Abraham was called to be a blessing, but in this incident he had become more of a curse.

‘…God’s chosen people are not totally righteous…people outside God’s covenant are not totally evil. All people have the capacity to respond to God, and many of them do so to varying degrees.’ Tom Hale: ‘The Applied Old Testament Commentary’, p.161.

Here is a fascinating insight into how human-beings can stick with sinful patterns of behaviour, even when they have suffered previously because of them (11-13). It surely was obvious, after the Egyptian fiasco (12:10-20), that this was not the way for them to go in the future. But, it seems, Abraham’s original request to Sarah was not rescinded. Whenever we cease trusting and take up scheming, we will end up in trouble.

Patterns of sin can not only be deeply rooted; they can also reiterate down through generations (see chapter 26).

PRAYER: Lord, may I not bring your Name into dishonour among heathen people. Enable me, please, to live a godly life that honours you and blesses people.

Genesis 20:6-7: Kept from sin.

^“6 Then God said to him in the dream, ‘Yes, I know you did this with a clear conscience, and so I have kept you from sinning against me. That is why I did not let you touch her. ⁷ Now return the man’s wife, for he is a prophet, and he will pray for you and you will live. But if you do not return her, you may be sure that you and all who belong to you will die.’” NIV UK

Who can say how many times God has graciously and mercifully kept us from crossing the boundary line into sin. We can only thank Him that He does.  Here are three quotes from a daily devotional I read recently:  ‘We ought to thank God daily for the sins we have not committed.’ F.W.Faber;  ‘We cannot even imagine all that God has suffered us not to do, not to be.’ F.R.Havergal;

‘You are surprised at your imperfections – why? I should infer from that, that your self-knowledge is small. Surely, you might rather be astonished that you do not fall into more frequent and more grievous faults, and thank God for His upholding grace.’ Jean Nicolas Grou.

PRAYER: Lord God, this morning I feel incredibly grateful for your keeping power. Help me, this very day, to grow more and more in holiness. Please restrain my feet from taking wrong roads. Lead me in right paths for your Name’s sake.